Altcoin Market Misses $800B Boost as Retail Investors Shift to Crypto Stocks

Retail merchants, particularly these in South Korea, have more and more shifted from altcoins to crypto-related equities, leaving an enormous funding hole within the altcoin market, in accordance to new information from 10x Research.

Over the years, Bitcoin and altcoins have tended to rise and fall collectively, pushed by shared cycles of hypothesis.

But this time, institutional adoption of Bitcoin and the rising recognition of listed crypto corporations have created what 10x Research calls a “close to trillion-dollar hole” between Bitcoin’s market worth and that of different digital belongings.

South Korea’s Shift to Crypto Stocks Leaves $800B Altcoin Gap

South Korea has lengthy been a hub for altcoin buying and selling, with native buyers usually favoring smaller tokens over Bitcoin.

At instances, altcoins have made up over 80% of buying and selling exercise on Korean exchanges, in contrast to world averages the place Bitcoin and Ether dominate.

“Altcoin market capitalization can be roughly $800 billion greater if retail buyers — particularly in South Korea — hadn’t redirected their consideration towards crypto-related shares and different equities,” mentioned Markus Thielen, CEO and head of analysis at 10x Research.

“In this cycle, altcoins have failed to entice enough new capital.”

Between Nov. 5 and Nov. 28, 2024, Korean exchanges noticed every day common crypto volumes of $9.4 billion, surpassing the $7 billion traded on the Kospi inventory index, in accordance to information from CCData and Korea Exchange. Those volumes have since plunged.

Breaking

South Korea warns merchants there seems to be an enormous carry commerce that’s about to blow up markets. If carry commerce reverses, it’ll wipe out the international locations total monetary system with its buyers being all in on leveraged tech ETFs.$spy $qqq $dxy $tlt…

— Roger (@rdd147) October 13, 2025

10x Research warned that fading retail participation is a key purpose altcoins have lagged behind Bitcoin—and the pattern could deepen.

A current market selloff triggered by renewed US-China commerce tensions erased $380 billion in crypto market worth, of which $131 billion got here from altcoins alone.

According to 10x, the shift marks a “structural change” out there. As institutional cash flocks to Bitcoin and speculative merchants chase token-holding shares, the altcoin sector could battle to get better its misplaced share of capital anytime quickly.

South Korean Retail Investors Pour $1.24B Into US Tech, Crypto Stocks

As reported, South Korean buyers turned the Chuseok vacation right into a high-risk buying and selling week, pouring $1.24 billion into US tech and crypto-linked assets whereas native markets have been closed between October 3 and 9, information from the Korea Securities Depository exhibits.

The frenzy was led by leveraged ETFs and high-growth shares, as merchants sought to experience Wall Street’s momentum amid optimism surrounding US tech resilience and home stimulus hopes.

Top international buys included the Direxion Daily Tesla Bull 2X ETF with $151 million in purchases, adopted by Iris Energy ($105 million), Meta Platforms ($100 million), and Tesla ($96 million).

Investors additionally snapped up $95 million price of the T-REX 2X Long BMNR Daily Target ETF, which tracks BitMine Immersion Technologies with double publicity, highlighting rising urge for food for crypto-related equities.

However, the timing proved unlucky. The shopping for spree ended abruptly as U.S.–China commerce tensions sparked a world market pullback, erasing a lot of the earlier week’s positive aspects.

Meanwhile, in August, South Korea’s monetary regulator moved to rein in risky lending practices within the digital asset sector, ordering native exchanges to droop all crypto lending providers till a correct regulatory framework is established.

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